Fairfax County supervisors on Tuesday (Jan. 13) set a pair of future public hearings on proposed revisions to zoning rules for large-scale battery storage in the county.
The proposed changes would impact what are known as Battery Energy Storage Systems, or BESS. Language in the amendments would add a new definition for BESS and add new use standards and submission requirements, including minimum setbacks and the completion of a noise study before a site plan can be approved.
The Fairfax County delegation to the General Assembly heads to Richmond this week with plenty of requests from constituents.
Nearly 100 of them descended on the Fairfax County Government Center Saturday morning (Jan. 10) to make their case on issues ranging from social services to economic development.
Reston Town Center’s newest office towers are now fully booked up, a notable feat as the office market elsewhere in Northern Virginia is still seeking to stabilize post-pandemic.
Developer BXP announced yesterday (Monday) that it has fully leased all 1.1 million square feet of new office space in the first phase of its town center expansion, known informally as RTC Next.
Fairfax County Public Schools needs $1.1 billion over the next five years to fund planned renovation, maintenance and construction projects.
The school system released its latest draft Capital Improvement Program (CIP) ahead of a presentation to the school board this afternoon (Tuesday).
Fairfax County election officials say they are holding their own as a series of special elections keeps local voters on their toes.
“We’ve got a fantastic team,” said Eric Spicer, the county’s registrar and elections director, at the Jan. 7 Electoral Board meeting.
Investigation Into FCPS Abortion Claims Finished — “Allegations that a Fairfax County school social worker facilitated student abortions are untrue, Superintendent Michelle Reid said in a letter to Centreville High School families on Friday.” A finished investigation reaffirmed initial findings that determined “the allegations to be … based on statements that were ‘misinterpreted, mistranslated, taken out of context, or in some cases knowingly fabricated.'” [WTOP]
Forum Held for Democratic Primary Candidates — Candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for today’s 39th Senate District firehouse primary “fielded several questions during a packed public forum [last night], with topics ranging from the primary’s scheduling to affordability, right-to-work and more.” [ALXnow]
Feedback Wanted on Trash Districts — “The Board of Supervisors in August deferred action on a proposal for Unified Sanitation Districts (USDs) to evaluate alternative options. The USD concept has now resurfaced, and the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services has scheduled two meetings to solicit feedback.” [Annandale Today]
Community Members Share Boundary Change Concerns — “Dozens of parents and students in Fairfax County were up early Saturday morning at Luther Jackson Middle School in Falls Church, Virginia, to express their concerns over proposed school boundary changes … FCPS leaders say the boundary changes would address overcrowding and reduce the amount of split feeder schools.” [NBC4]
Traffic Stop Leads to Gun and Drug Charges — “Three men from Alexandria are facing charges after a traffic stop led to the seizure of firearms and the discovery of narcotics distribution evidence, police said.” Patrol officers initially pulled over a car near Russell Road and Norwood Drive on Jan. 6 “for having a loud, modified exhaust.” [DC News Now]
Local ‘Quad God’ Secures Olympics Spot — “Vienna-based figure skater ‘Quad God’ Ilia Malinin will head to next month’s Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, U.S. Figure Skating announced Sunday. The news comes after Malinin spun more gold on Saturday night at the 2026 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis, Missouri.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]
Falls Church Grocery Schedules Opening — “Grocery Outlet, the replacement for a shuttered small-format Target store at 500 S. Washington Street, plans to open on Feb. 12, the company announced in a press release today (Monday). This will be Grocery Outlet’s first store in Virginia, but it’s expected to ‘kick off a series of openings across the state,’ the press release says.” [ARLnow]
Retired Capitals Star Sells McLean Home — “Nicklas Backstrom ditched the DC area for his native Sweden last year, capping a 17-season career as a center for the Washington Capitals. In April, he listed his ritzy McLean mansion for sale at $14.99 million … The property sold on Wednesday for $11 million.” [Washingtonian]
It’s Tuesday — Expect sunny skies and a high near 50, along with a calm wind turning south at 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon. At night, the sky will be mostly cloudy, accompanied by a low around 40. A southwest wind will blow at 8 to 11 mph, with gusts reaching up to 20 mph. [NWS]
Fairfax County elected officials seem in alignment on their top priority for the 2026 Virginia General Assembly session.
“Number one is always K-12 education funding,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said at the annual legislative public hearing, held Saturday (Jan. 10) at the Fairfax County Government Center.
Jury selection began this morning (Monday) in the postponed trial against a Herndon man accused by prosecutors of concocting a scheme with his family’s au pair to frame a stranger in the fatal stabbing of his wife.
Brendan Banfield is charged with aggravated murder in the February 2023 killings of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan at the Banfields’ home in northern Virginia. He has pleaded not guilty in the case.
A preschool-aged child diagnosed with measles recently visited the medical center at Fort Belvoir, among other locations in the D.C. region, the Virginia Department of Health says.
The child, who lives in Northern Virginia, was present at the Alexander T. Augusta Military Medical Center Emergency Department and Executive Medicine Suite (9300 DeWitt Loop) at Fort Belvoir between 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., and from 10 p.m. to midnight last Friday (Jan. 9), potentially exposing other patients, visitors and staff.
The Fairfax County School Board could opt for a geographical reference, rather than a person, for the newest high school’s name.
On Thursday (Jan. 8), Superintendent Michelle Reid presented Western High School as her final name recommendation for the future school at 2949 Education Drive in the Herndon area.
